The present invention relates to a dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher, having a washing compartment for holding washable items, means for applying washing liquid to the washable items, and a door for opening and closing the washing compartment, comprising an inner door which is oriented toward the interior of the washing compartment in the closed state of the door and has an upper edge and a lower edge which preferably run essentially horizontally in the closed state of the door and two side edges which preferably run essentially vertically in the closed state of the door, and a feed device for dispensing additives which is arranged on the inner door in the upper third of the region between the upper edge and the lower edge, in particular in the upper quarter.
Dishwashers for cleaning dirty items have an interior in which the dirty items that must be cleaned are placed via a corresponding access opening. After the dirty items have been loaded, the access opening is closed by means of an access door and it is then possible to start the cleaning process, during which in particular water and suitable additives for cleaning the dirty items are supplied to the interior. After the cleaning process is complete, the now cleaned items can be removed from the interior of the dishwasher again by opening the access door.
In the case of dishwashers, what is referred to as a feed device is arranged on the inner side of the access door, said access door being oriented toward the interior in the closed state of the dishwasher. Additives which are supplied to the interior during the execution of the cleaning process and assist the cleaning of the kitchenware are loaded into this feed device. Such additives are e.g. dishwashing agents and rinsing agents.
Various embodiments and positions of the feed devices on an access door of a dishwasher are known from the prior art.
The publication EP 1 281 346 A1 shows a domestic dishwasher having a feed device on the upper side of a frame which is formed on the inner side of the access door. The feed device can be filled from the top side of the frame via a filling opening, and the additive can be dispensed during the cleaning process via a dispensing opening within the frame. The feed device is positioned adjacent to a side edge of the access door.
The publication EP 1 374 754 A1 shows a built-in dishwasher whose access door has an inner door with an outward bulge which extends into an upper region of the access door. Also provided in the upper region is a hollow space in which inter alia a feed device can also be arranged. In this arrangement a feed device which has a single flap is shown, this being arranged in a separate bulge underneath the hollow space. Also shown is a feed device having a filling opening and a dispensing opening, which feed device is integrated in the hollow space. The publication does not specify the positioning of the feed device between the lateral limits of the access door.
The publication DE 37 01 404 A1 discloses a dishwasher having an access door which has a very large receptacle for cleaning agents. The dispensing of the cleaning agent takes place in the lower region of the access door via a feed device which has a cover that can be tilted toward the floor of the interior.
The publication EP 0 858 768 B1 shows a dishwasher having an access door which has an operating panel with a control device and a feed device in its upper section. The feed device is adjacent to a side edge of the access door.
The publication FR 2 761 254 A1 discloses a dishwasher whose feed device is arranged in the central region of the access door.
The document EP 0 423 044 B1 shows a dishwasher having a removable dosing device which can be installed in the upper corner region of the access door of the dishwasher.
The publication US 2003/0106570 A1 discloses a dishwasher having an access door which has a feed device in the upper region of the inner side and adjacent to a side edge of the access door. A similar arrangement of the feed device is described in the publication DE 100 17 073 A1.
WO 01/10284 A1 shows a dishwasher having an access door, wherein the top side of the inner door has filling openings in a corner for the purpose of filling with additives.
EP 1 245 180 A2 schematically shows the inner side of an access door for a dishwasher, wherein the upper region of said inner side has a feed device with filling openings at the top edge and adjacent to a side edge of the access door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,125 shows a dishwasher having an access door whose inner door has an enlarged bulge for expanding the interior of the dishwasher.
The publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,324 shows a dishwasher having an access door and a feed device which is arranged in the central region of the access door.
EP 1 366 704 A2 discloses a dishwasher having an access door, wherein a feed device is arranged centrally in the central region of the access door.
EP 0 691 101 B1 describes a dishwasher whose access door has a feed device on the inner side, said feed device being offset relative to a side edge of the door.
All of the access doors described in the prior art have the disadvantage that the feed devices are not optimally positioned in order to ensure an effective and spatially economical layout of the interior of the dishwasher. Furthermore, the feed devices are sometimes constructed in a complex manner and place high demands on the manufacturing of the inner side of the access door.